Neutron bombs and the Empire

Deathstalker · Post by **Deathstalker** » 2004-05-06 05:05pm

I was rereading my "Rules of Engagement" sourcebook by WEG the other night and there is an entry about Rad Troopers. Their armor is of course designed to handle higher amounts of radiation than normal Stormtrooper armor and that Rad troopers are used to in mop up operations of a target that has been neutron bombed. Their job is to clean up pockets of resistance that exist after the attack, either because the enemy was shielded or weren't hit with the full force of the attack.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-05-07 12:14am

Publius · Post by **Publius** » 2004-05-07 12:38am

The existence of the Radiation Zone Assault branch of the Imperial Marines has been known for quite some time; in fact, it even appears in the Official Site's Databank. Specifically:

In other scenarios, the Empire purposely floods an area with radiation to pacify resistance. For example, the Empire has been known to employ neutron bombing, which kills or incapacitates a large percentage of the local population, but keeps the infrastructure intact. Radtroopers deploy into neutron bombed areas, sweeping up pockets of resistance that may have survived, as well as securing the location for when the radiation subsides in a few days.

Notice, of course, that the text optimistically assumes that such intense irradiation is only dangerous for a period of days (it also says that radtrooper armour can withstand "Grade 5" irradiation, whereas most modern weaponry becomes "less reliable" at "Grade 4"). It also mentions "anti-radiation pills, detoxification hypos, a radiation tent, a water purifier, and a radiation meter". One may make of that what one will.

PUBLIUS

Kazuaki Shimazaki · Post by **Kazuaki Shimazaki** » 2004-05-07 01:42am

Publius wrote:It also mentions "anti-radiation pills, detoxification hypos, a radiation tent, a water purifier, and a radiation meter". One may make of that what one will.

PUBLIUS

Bold Emphasis Mine. Star Trek is leaking into Star Wars

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2004-05-07 01:47am

Kazuaki Shimazaki wrote:
Publius wrote:It also mentions "anti-radiation pills, detoxification hypos, a radiation tent, a water purifier, and a radiation meter". One may make of that what one will.

PUBLIUS
Bold Emphasis Mine. Star Trek is leaking into Star Wars

Relax dude. Maybe the pill is a concentrated dose of Bacta, which does cool shit to the body. Or it could be a cheap placebo called a anti-radiation pill. "Disposable Heroes" is a cool euphemism for stormtroopers y'know. It's not like they did the Trek-stupid equivalent of saying the pill is a "radiation vaccine."

A slight difference, yes.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2004-05-07 02:29am

Iodine can be used to help forstall the effects of exposure to radiation. This may be the kind of pills they are referring to. The pills do not inply that they stop all effects of the radiation but help suplant the protection of the suit ect.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-05-07 12:02pm

It isn't really surprising that the Empire would use 'neutron bombs' (technically called "enhanced radiation devices"), though I suspect that their technology would let them make devices with far less blast and thermal effects than today.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2004-05-09 01:26pm

Kazuaki Shimazaki wrote:
Publius wrote:It also mentions "anti-radiation pills, detoxification hypos, a radiation tent, a water purifier, and a radiation meter". One may make of that what one will.

PUBLIUS
Bold Emphasis Mine. Star Trek is leaking into Star Wars

Actually, its real stuff now. I was reading the most recent issue of the Navy Times and it had an artical about it. Basically there is that chemical that if taken prior to and immediatey after recieving a large radiation dose, makes the cells repair quicker somehow.

If I get time, I'll try and type it up.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-05-10 01:47am

Isolder74 wrote:Iodine can be used to help forstall the effects of exposure to radiation.

But it's very limited. Potassium iodide protects your thyroid glands, and only against Iodine 131, which is rather radioactive and spewed out by nuclear bombs and reactor meltdowns. It also doesn't acutally block the radiation, but rather prevents your thyroid's from absorbing the Iodine 131 thus limiting long term damage to them from the continued exposure.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2004-05-10 02:00am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Isolder74 wrote:Iodine can be used to help forstall the effects of exposure to radiation.
But it's very limited. Potassium iodide protects your thyroid glands, and only against Iodine 131, which is rather radioactive and spewed out by nuclear bombs and reactor meltdowns. It also doesn't acutally block the radiation, but rather prevents your thyroid's from absorbing the Iodine 131 thus limiting long term damage to them from the continued exposure.

Yes. it is. The fact of the matter is that anti-Rad pills are not new or all inclusive. The matter of a drug that helps with radiation exposure is real but not magical makes the pill for the Rad Troopers more plausable.

On that note it is the Thyroid gland that heps the body deal with the effects of radiation and is usually the first place that has problems. Iodine 131 and Iodine in general tends to concentrate in this gland in general and a supply other than from the enviroment would help forstall the build up of it. It is not a perfect treatment however. No treatment other than the removal of oneself from the affected area will help you.

Connor MacLeod · Post by **Connor MacLeod** » 2004-05-10 02:02am

Might be some sort of medical version of the "nano destroyers" from the JAT.. designed to destroy/repair radiation damage.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2004-05-10 02:34pm

I found the name of the stuff; it's a steroid called 5 androstenediol. It increases white blood cell count and in tests it takes a 30% greater dose to have the same effects as if you hadn't taken it.